US Patent 11320222 Charging handle for firearms

Charging handles for firearms, particularly gas-powered rifles. The disclosed charging handles can be operated on both sides of the firearm and include a shaft having with lateral widening at both sides. The charging handle includes an active handle, a passive handle, and a latch, where the active handle is rotatable about a pin and is urged into a fixing position by at least one spring, such that when the active handle is rotated against the spring force, the latch is released. The passive handle is configured so that when the passive handle is rotated, the passive handle also rotates the active handle. In order to relieve the pin, the release position of the active handle is defined by a support surface on the lateral widening of the shaft. The passive handle is configured analogously.